noirish Los Angeles

[HossC]

Thanks to Lorendoc for finding yesterday's Ross-Loos location. No wonder I couldn't find an Anaheim building in Long Beach.


-------------


As promised, here's a Ross-Loos clinic whose location is known (and is in Long Beach). It's "Job 467: Randolph Chalfant Head, Ross-Loos Clinic (Long Beach, Calif.), 1949". I'm posting a selection of the nine images in the set. There's a clearer, closer view of the front, but I wanted the long shot to show the side.



Here's the reception desk.



I assume that this is the waiting room. I think the desk from the image above appears on the right.



There was a courtyard next to the waiting room.



A reverse shot.



I'll finish with this shot of a consulting room.



All from Getty Research Institute

This building is another survivor. It's at 3850 Long Beach Boulevard, and is now Oakwood Academy.


GSV

[Martin Pal]

HossC posted this building about three weeks ago, located on Vine Street near Santa Monica Blvd.

Today's Julius Shulman post. It's "Job 559: Stiles Oliver Clements, Zandt Carpet Company, 1949".



Entire post here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=42331

I happened to see this 1972 photograph with the Zandt building in it; left of center:

Bruce Torrence

A blade sign has been added to it since the Shulman photo. The Army-Navy surplus store is still located
on that corner, though I believe they've eliminated the military references. Also, whatever tallish building
that is on Vine, that looks to be under construction, I don't find that building is there anymore, either.

[HossC]

I believe the "tallish building that is on Vine, that looks to be under construction" is actually the Sunset Media Tower at 6255 Sunset Boulevard. The camera makes it look much closer in the 1972 image.


GSV

[Martin Pal]

I thought that, too, HossC, but the taller one in the photo is the building on the corner of Hollywood and Vine and to me, and I could be wrong, but it appears the other one is closer to the camera. I tried GSV to convince myself it was the Sunset Media Tower, but it didn't convince me.

[ethereal_reality]

Hoss, thanks for the aerial showing the Hartman(n) Apartments. It was interesting seeing it from that angle.

and thx for the additional information on the Hartmanns GW.
__



An unknown woman posing in front of a billboard at Uplifters Ranch in Rustic Canyon.


old file / flickr?




"Aerial view of the polo field at Uplifters Club, Rustic Canyon, Calif. [c.1947]


http://digital.smpl.org/cdm/singleit.../id/3245/rec/1

I've circled, on the right, where I think snapshot was taken.

Hmm...but where is the actually polo field- (was it gone by 1947?)

__

[Martin Pal]

I guess it is, HossC, here's a photo dated a year later, 1973, taken up the street from the other one.

Bruce Torrence

Bruce Torrence

[Paul C. Koehler]

Originally Posted by HenryHuntington

Hoss, this Avenue to the Sky blog post http://avenuetotheskylakeavenuepasad...ke-avenue.html says that the original Bob's Big Boy in Pasadena was at 1616 E. Colorado Blvd. (across Bonnie Ave. from Pasadena City College). IMO, the ridgeline in the exterior photo looks much too close to have been taken in that location.

The Bob's across from the collage was a walk in only, no drive in.

Paul C. Koehler

[Paul C. Koehler]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

I believe that's Bob's Big Boy, Toluca Lake, SoCal, 1960. -[ below ]



www.jalopyjournal.com

City Boy Doug:

I agree, its the Toluca Lake location.

Paul C. Koehler

[Paul C. Koehler]

Originally Posted by John Maddox Roberts

In Texas in the 60s the chain was called Kip's Big Boy. In New Mexico it was Vip's. They all used the fat boy in checkered overalls mascot. I have no idea why the name changes in different locales since they were all clearly of the same chain. The Texas restaurant was famous for its hot fudge sundaes.

The Wian family (Old Glendale family, Bob Wian was a Mayor of Glendale in the 1950's I think) sold the chain to Mariott, who franchised the Big Boy name all over the country.

Paul C. Koehler

[tovangar2]

Re the Willard's , Radio Center, Fairbanks, Runway building on Vine, what is this?:


gsv

Are there a lot of them about? If there are, I don't know how I missed them.

[HossC]

Assuming that you're talking about the sign, I found another just south of Sunset on Highland Avenue. As both Vine and Highland are southern approaches to freeway intersections, my guess would be freeway information signs, but that might just be because I'm remembering Steve Martin in 'LA Story'.


GSV

BTW Martin Pal, t2's picture also shows the two towers we've been discussing. The one on the left (the Sunset Vine Tower) is on the south side of Sunset.

[Rustifer]

Originally Posted by Otis Criblecoblis

We haven't gotten to it yet. We're 6 episodes back. But we're looking forward to it. It was written and directed by Montgomery Pittman, who was known for that writer/director combo during his too-short career. He was building quite a reputation for high-quality TV when he passed away from cancer at the age of 45.

In a desperate attempt to tie this into the thread: I found the pilot, "Girl on The Run", on Dailymotion, and was intrigued to discover that it is not merely noirish, but expressly film noir in style and substance--quite different from the light, breezy tone of the show, although the Stu Bailey character is still completely recognizable.

We like the Roger Smith-penned episodes we have seen, too. I hope MeTV keeps running the show long enough to loop back to the beginning of the run. We started DVRing at season 3 episode 13. We would just buy the complete show outright on DVD, but it is bafflingly not available.

I agree that Montgomery Pittman did some of the better shows in the series. What I didn't know was that he was stepfather to Sherry Jackson, who appeared in several episodes and well as many other shows in that time period. She made my pre-teen heart go pitter patter.

There has been many entreaties to Warner Bros. to put the series on DVDs, but so far to no avail. That's a shame, because the people who would purchase it are generally Baby Boomers, and we're a dying breed. I'm just glad MeTV brought it back for now. Maybe they'll follow up with the Surfside 6 and Hawaiian Eye shows.

When I first tried to get back into the series, I found "Girl On The Run" on an old cartridge tape and watched in hopes to get retrieve my memories of the show only to realize it had nothing to do with the series. In fact, 77 Sunset Strip is never even mentioned in the film until the very end in an obvious voice-over to promote the coming of the new show. I believe Kookie played the bad guy in the movie. The rest of the team (Roger Smith, Louis Quinn, Jacqueline Beer) were not in the movie. Nor was the iconic location on the Strip or the theme song.

I hope MeTV goes on to Season 5 next, then skips Season 6 and moves on with seasons 1 & 2. Season 6 was a bust in that they scrapped the entire 77 Sunset Strip scene to make it more like Secret Agent. It stunk. It was no longer the street that wore the fancy label, glorified in song and fable...

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I happened to see this 1972 photograph with the Zandt building in it; left of center:

Bruce Torrence

A blade sign has been added to it since the Shulman photo. The Army-Navy surplus store is still located on that corner, though I believe they've eliminated the military references. Also, whatever tallish building that is on Vine, that looks to be under construction, I don't find that building is there anymore, either.

The upper perimeter of the Army-Navy Surplus-building (5525 Santa Monica) features an interesting relief series that apparently survives today. The image's relief reminds me of hieroglyphics and seems different from other images of the same reliefs. This may be due to photo filters or a painted contrast. FWIW, new construction permits were issued in 1914, 1917, 1931 and 1948. Currently unable to view permits, but '48 demo and new construction permits suggest the current four story structure dates to '48.

[Rustifer]

Originally Posted by Paul C. Koehler

City Boy Doug:

I agree, its the Toluca Lake location.

Paul C. Koehler

Few things bring back memories of my childhood than the taste of a "Big Boy" double decker hamburger. It was around long before the Big Mac made an appearance. There were only 2 or 3 Big Boys in Indiana but all are gone now. I have to drive to Ohio to find one anymore. I used to be able to eat at least 2 of them at a sitting, which was a precursor to me eventually weighing 400 lbs.
Three years ago I changed my lifestyle and lost 165 lbs., so very few Big Boys are on my plate now.

[Paul C. Koehler]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

'mystery' block in Glendale, 1951


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Real-Photo-S...cAAOSwEzxYOJ0v

None of the businesses look familiar to me.

here's the stamp on the reverse




__

Car is Southbound or inbound to LA. PepBoys was at the South West corner of Harvard and Brand.

Paul C. Koehler

[HossC]

Here's today's Julius Shulman post. It's "Job 4623: William Ficker, Hoffman Motors (Marina del Rey, Calif.), 1970". There are four images in the set, but I've left out two becuase they show the same subjects as these from slightly different angles.



I found a reference to Hoffman Motors having a sculpture called "Bird of Wisdom" - this must be it.



Both from Getty Research Institute

While looking for an address, I found this 1970 Maynard L Parker photoset at HDL. There are 11 images in this set, including some of the warehouse and training rooms, but I've just picked three. The first is one of two color shots, and gives a better view of the front.



Did everyone spot the absence of cars in the Shulman photos? Hoffman Motors was apparently the US sole importer of BMWs at the time.



I'll finish with this view of some of the offices.



Huntington Digital Library

I eventually found the address at 12541 Beatrice Street. I've looked back through the images at Historic Aerials, and I believe that this is the same building. It was heavily modified between 2003 and 2004.


Google Maps

[Paul C. Koehler]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Meanwhile......somewhere in Glendale (in 1954)


http://www.ebay.com/itm/T219-1954-PA...oAAOSwGtRXy6IL

I wonder what is in the distance on the left that looks like the top of a drive-in movie screen.

I love the red pickup truck that perfectly matches the Pacific Electric street-cars. And that Glendale sign is pretty nifty too.

Actually it not Glendale but Atwater. The big building in the background is Forest Lawn Glendale.

Paul C. Koehler

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

The upper perimeter of the Army-Navy Surplus-building (5525 Santa Monica) features an interesting relief series that apparently survives today. The image's relief reminds me of hieroglyphics and seems different from other images of the same reliefs. This may be due to photo filters or a painted contrast. FWIW, new construction permits were issued in 1914, 1917, 1931 and 1948. Currently unable to view permits, but '48 demo and new construction permits suggest the current four story structure dates to '48.

Nah, the four-story Colehurst building, 1106 Vine Street, got its permit in 1924. It was designed by Lester Hibbard for the Cornelius Cole Company. The 1948 permit was just to remodel the Kirby Shoes shopfront, which faced on Santa Monica.


gsv

Thank you Hoss for the info on that unfortunate-looking electronic sign.

And Martin Pal, that is a compelling optical illusion re the two towers in the distance in the Santa Monica/Vine shot. I know the neighborhood well, but still did a double take.

[Andys]

Originally Posted by Paul C. Koehler

Actually it not Glendale but Atwater. The big building in the background is Forest Lawn Glendale.

Paul C. Koehler

The boundary for Atwater is the railroad tracks (in the foreground), so it looks to me like the photo was taken while standing just inside Atwater looking toward Glendale. +1 That's Forest Lawn.

Andys

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Paul C. Koehler

Actually it not Glendale but Atwater. The big building in the background is Forest Lawn Glendale.

Paul C. Koehler

Looks to me like we are seeing Glendale, with the photographer standing just outside its border with
Atwater--where the tracks in the foreground cross those of the Red Cars--hence the GLENDALE sign.
Glendale Boulevard is now depressed under the crossing tracks.